Increasing Strength

[Fazc]

I'm not saying you are, I agree it's something I've realised recently which has resulted in me pulling more often.

Hopefully my conditioning will pick soon, I wanna train more!

[BendtheBar]

Just trying to make sure I was being clear.

There are many lurkers reading this and I didn't want to confuse anyone.

[Kuytrider]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Learned some interesting things about volume and frequency on the deadlift the last 2 months. Body handled deads 2x a week if they were variations and not from the floor. In fact, using this my deads are moving back up again. So I think I found a nice sweet spot.

Been sticking with RDLs, low rack pulls and Rippetoe/Starr/Uber shrugs.

Frankly, I find it inspirational that a guy like you who has decades of experience and has forgotten more about training than most people now, who lifts seriously heavy weights and has a total most people could dream of is STILL learning. There are lots of lifters here on MAB who are the same and it couldn't set a better example for younger lifters.

Personally, it makes me want to learn how to lift heavy weights before I actually do if that makes sense. Finding out what works for you may be frustrating, but it's also exciting, especially when breakthroughs are made. I found that 4 days a week works really well and that a brief 6 day experiment was fatally flawed due to unnecessary exercises. When I decide to increase session frequency again, it will be only to do the basics and variations more often.

[BendtheBar]

Ripp talking to Marty Gallagher.

Starting Strength

Some interesting talk about the brutality of old school training. Check out about the 17 minute mark on. Some conversation about the use of max and back off sets. Plenty of other goodies too.

Also check out the talk after 26 minute mark about the routine of a powerlifter named Mark (Shellay?) who was pulling 880 and squatting a grand. Monday we would work up to a single on squats and bench. Done. Thursday - deadlift cycle, done. No assistance work.

"It's hard times for plain vanilla."

[miked96]

Check out Martys book. He lays out the routines of Fantano, Coan, Furnas, Chailet, Karwoski, Cassidy, Bednarski, Yates, and Pearl. I cant wait for the second part of this interview!

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by miked96

Check out Martys book. He lays out the routines of Fantano, Coan, Furnas, Chailet, Karwoski, Cassidy, Bednarski, Yates, and Pearl. I cant wait for the second part of this interview!

Will do. Didn't know he had a book. Thanks!

Is it "The Purposeful Primitive"?

[MonsterMike]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Yeah I'm not saying I never pull off the floor. Simply that it's the most taxing variation. I did low rack deads twice in 4-5 days this week and they don't tax me nearly as hard as floor pulls.

On another note, I have some changes planned myself. My bench is in a holding pattern so I am going to introduce a bit more volume. Nothing substantial, but a little tester.

I agree with this... I do the same thing...lots of rack pulls and speed pulls (ive found speed pulls to be key for me)..I rarely pull from the floor anymore...I believe there is a fine line between undertraining and overtraining the deadlift. Matt brown at my gym didnt pull for almost 12 weeks because he tore his tricep and had surgery....he comes back and pulls 810 EASY.....he said taking the time off was the best thing for him...I agree with that, but you also see even guys at Westside (who NEVER pulled back in the day) pulling a lot more from the floor...like you said its very taxing, and getting to the meet in one piece is better than not...always better to undertrain than overtrain is what I say.

[BendtheBar]

My bench is stagnating and I need to try something different. Post-meet I am going to move to 2x per week while adding some volume.

Day 1 - Bench Press
Set 1 - Heavy single
Set 2 - Drop 5% - 2 rep set
Set 3 - Drop 5% - 3 rep set
Set 4 - Drop 5% - 4 rep set
Set 5 - Drop 5% - 5+ rep set

Last set I am going to push for max reps. When I can hit 7-8 on set 5 I am going to add weight on set one. I need a simple, self-regulating form of progression and am going to see how I like this.

Day 2 - Bench Press + Close Grip Bench Press
Set 1 - Bench Press single
Set 2 - Close Grip Bench Press triple
Set 3 - Bench Press single
Set 4 - Close Grip Bench Press triple
Set 5 - Bench Press single
Set 6 - Close Grip Bench Press triple

Overall not a crazy increase in volume, but it is more than I am doing right now.

[Kuytrider]

Did you not just hit a PR for a double in the bench?

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Kuytrider

Did you not just hit a PR for a double in the bench?

Yes, but it was kind of a PR by default.

I am still dialing in bench. I have found a sweet spot with squats and deads, but bench is in a rut the last 4 months. I brought up intensity and got a bump, and then it flatlined. So now it's time to try intensity with a little more volume.